One of the issues in chapter 21 that hit home was the piecemeal approach to change. Most of the time people feel that it is better to take the piecemeal approach when there are things that are working in the system. There seems to be no reason in this instance to change the entire system. However, if nothing in the current system seems to be working, then it makes sense to make a systematic change.
This hits home because I feel that I am currently in this debate. I am under new management and am mortified that a systematic change is being made before evaluating the current system. I feel that there are many pieces (in fact most of them) that are working and that having a systematic change is actually making things worse. That is not to say that they systematic change may not work, but there may not be anyone around to notice (people are leaving like a plague is coming).
Another issue that hits home is the issue of not always getting information on the process of change; but being told what the end result should be. This hits home every time I think about no child left behind. There is all sorts of information on what needs to be changed but no information about a process to get to the change. In addition, there is no funding for the changes that are required to be made.
As stated in the chapter, change without funding to continue and support the change is short-lived (in so many words)
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4 comments:
Sheena,
Great point about the No Child Left Behind. The government told us what they wanted but no way to get there or money to do it. Schools are suffering terribly trying to meet the laws with no money. I wish someone or some school district would step up and say, "enough! Until you (gov/law makers) give more support on process and funding we will support ourselves." I know, of course that would be some systematic change, huh. Ya know, I'm not sure but aren't there some schools that are pretty much run by businesses and not the government? Districts might have to start looking toward community businesses for funding. I don't know...
Good luck with your job. It sounds like it is rough there right now.
Chrissy
We are currently looking at the idea of using data to create reason for change in my school. It sounds like your job could use a concept where it critically looks at what is going right and what is going wrong. Once you have data then an appropriate solution can be developed. There is one school I know that was having problems with behavior. Instead of just changing the entire format of discipline they looked at data and found that at between 9 and 10 o'clock everyday they were having 70% or so of their problems. Well, tried changing the breakfast that the school offered from High sugar to no sugar and the problems reduced dramatically. I feel that their is a time and a place for both piecemeal and systematic change, but data should be the center of most change.l
The no child left behind comment was great. We often talk about this at school and I don't know any other topic that upsets or frustrates more teachers. I think it is an unattainable goal to reach unless we are going to be funded or trained as to how this is going to happen. I think the most frustrating part it the students are well aware of this and know that they are going to move along no matter what. This is a frustrating thing teaching in an elementary school.
Jennifer
It is very difficult to watch change happen when things are working fine. It sometimes seems that change is contantly happening, with very little rhyme or reason. You mentioned No Child Left Behind, I am seeing children being pushed from special education and mainstreamed into a classroom of 30 students, how can this be. This is not what is best for the students, but administration and others officials are pushing for this because of No Child Left Behind?
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